By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA — The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has challenged Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, to develop a world-class centre of mining excellence to drive mineral exploration, exploitation, value addition and exports.

Alake gave the charge when he received a delegation from the university’s Governing Council, led by Professor Ralph Akinfeleye, at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

Other members of the delegation included Ambassador Edward Sarki, Barrister Joseph Abaagu, Professor Olatunbosun Adedayo and Yinka Ayanfola.

According to a statement by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Lara Owoeye-Wise, Alake said OAU had significant mineral resources on its land that could be commercially developed to reduce the university’s dependence on government subvention.

He urged the university’s management to explore partnerships with the private sector to unlock the commercial potential of its mineral assets, noting that its technical expertise could also give it an advantage in attracting investors.

“You have the resource endowment underground, and you have the intellectual capacity. You can bring in investors through a joint venture, and they can provide the capital and machinery.

“At the same time, the University earns revenue and your experts participate as consultants and technical partners,” he said.

FG opens bitumen blocks to bidding

On the development of bitumen resources, Alake said the Federal Government had restructured the process by opening designated bitumen blocks to competitive bidding by qualified investors.

He also clarified that ownership of land did not automatically confer ownership of mineral resources beneath it, stressing that mineral resources were vested in the Federal Government under the 1999 Constitution and relevant mining laws.

“The University owns the land, but where there are mineral resources, their exploration and exploitation must still be undertaken in accordance with the law.

“We must find a win-win situation that protects legitimate interests while upholding the Federal Government’s regulatory responsibility,” he said.

Alake commended OAU for its longstanding contribution to the training of geologists and other professionals in Nigeria’s mining industry.

He urged the institution to deepen its role in mineral exploration, research, innovation and commercialisation, stressing the need to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and practical application.

“The gap between intellectualism and application must be closed.

“Universities should not only generate knowledge; they should translate that knowledge into solutions, enterprises and economic value for society,” he said.

The minister reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to providing a transparent, predictable and investment-friendly regulatory environment that promotes responsible mining, value addition and sustainable economic benefits for Nigerians.